570 THE GARDENER. [Dec. 



extent, are well kept. They are under the superintendence of Mr Prichard, who 

 also discharges the onerous duties of land-steward, &c. In such a moorland 

 district we were quite surprised to see the display of bedding-plants. There was 

 considerably more bloom than in many places we had seen in the south, and 

 vegetables and small fruits were excellent. The gardens lie Avell to the sun, and 

 the valley is warm during summer. There are some nice new hothouses here, 

 and well furnished. Vines not long planted were bearing a nice crop. Here, as 

 elsewhere in this part of Dumfriesshire, we noticed that the trees, from the Oak 

 to the Currant-bush, were grey with lichen, indicating a very damp climate. 

 !Maxwellton, we would say, is one of those places where a good large orchard - 

 house would be a safe investment. Altogether it is a pleasant place, and we left 

 it well pleased with our visit. 



On the road again. A brief halt at Dumfries enables us to get a half-clandestine 

 peep at the well-furnished and well-kept nursery of Messrs Kennedy, and to 

 pay a visit to the shrine of Burns, like every true Scotchman, when we are ofif 

 again by the Caledonian Railway via Lockerby, through one of the loneliest mountain- 

 tracks in Scotland. A fast train, however, soon transfers us from the Solway to 

 the shores of the Firth of Forth. Few towns are more associated with gardens 

 and gardeners than Edinburgh. Young Horty at one time more than now, per- 

 haps, did not consider his curriculum complete without a turn in " Auld Reekie," 

 often to his advantage, it may be admitted, and often, alas ! the other way. In 

 canny Aberdeen, it is said, gardeners are struck in batches and sent to Edinburgh 

 to be potted off. Certain it is the Scotch journeyman, in misfortune or otherwise, 

 turns his face towards Edinburgh as if by instinct. In Edinburgh he will have a 

 chance on his own merits ; nor can it be disputed that for good, skilful workmen, 

 that can turn their hand to anything, in doors or out, Edinburgh holds her own, 

 and more. 



At this stage of our journey we are bound to state that discharging the obli- 

 gations of old acquaintanceship and relationship among a somewhat numerous 

 circle compelled us, if not to shorten our programme, at best to complete the 

 horticultural part of it in less time than we intended. We had just time to have 

 a run through the gardens at Dalkeith, and to notice the fine crop of Grapes in 

 the late vinery there, a fair sample of the produce for the last twelve years or more 

 — to glauce at the numerous collection of Orchids — the splendid Heaths, recog- 

 nising in every specimen an old acquaintance — and to admire the heavy crop of 

 Peaches in the long Peach-house, and be off. I^ext we had a peep at the Rev. B. 

 Bushby's vinery, at the Parsonage, a few paces from the park-gates, where we saw 

 a magnificent crop of Muscat Grapes, perfect in bunch and berry, and the Vines 

 in high health. The bunches would apparently run from 2 to 4 lb. a-piece, and 

 were finishing beautifully. "\Ve have been more or less intimately acquainted with 

 the history of this vinery for nearly fourteen years, during which time the crops 

 have been uniformly excellent. Many Grape-growers have risen and fallen in 

 that time, but none that we know of have accomplished so much as Mr Bushby. 

 Yet Mr Bushby has no particular theory to communicate, nor is his success due 

 to any special treatment. The vinery is an ordinary span-roof, of no great height ; 

 and the Vines, we believe, have always been pruned on the spur system. Origin- 

 ally the border was chiefly or partly composed of the ordinary soil of the garden, 

 and occasionally since then Mr Bushby has added dressings of cow-dung or fresh 

 soil, and mulched and watered abundantly — the points of paramount importance. 



From Dalkeith to Archerfield seems a natural transition. We had only an hour 

 to spend at this fine place, and just time to note the fine display at the flower- 

 garden, the excellent crops of fruit and vegetables, and the thorough good order 



